Well wasn’t that a Christmas cracker of a rugby match!
There were times during this game that it felt like we were watching two guys grappling on the edge of a ten story drop, each struggling to get enough purchase and momentum to land the telling blow without offering an opening to the other.
Clontarf can take many positives from a performance that showed huge resolve and character in fighting back from a 12 point deficit to lead by five coming to the end of the match. St Marys will celebrate a superb defensive display in the first 20 which saw them pinned to their own line under waves of assault from the Clontarf pack. They had their share of luck also when Clontarf were adjudged to have knocked on in the act of scoring what would have been a crucial 5 points after 10 minutes of all out assault in the home 22. Having held out superbly the home side won possession in their own 22 and in true Marys style broke out for a great score by hooker Richie Sweeney. They followed that up 6 minutes later in what seemed to be their first real attack in the Clontarf 22 by scoring again through Jack Mc Grath after a period of heft and grunt on the Clontarf line.
So having dominated possession and territory for the first quarter Clontarf found themselves 12 points down with a mountain to climb.
And so they set about climbing it.
On 29 minutes a Clontarf penalty drifted left but Marys sliced the relieving kick to touch in their own 22. From the lineout, Tim McCoy ran a good line and Frank Cogan followed up to score, Richie Lane added the 2 for 12 7. Marys tagged on another penalty for 15 7 after Clontarf were offside at a ruck and that took us to halftime.
In the second half Clontarf continued to build with the wind and were rewarded on 57 minutes with a penalty to Lane for not releasing in the tackle, 15 10. Four minutes later Evan Ryan reacted quickest to a loose ball behind a Marys ruck and had Richie Lane in support to score by the posts and add the convert for 15 17 and a Tarf lead for the first time in the match. On 67 Marys collapsed a scrum for Lane to make it 15 20 and the game was set for its frantic finish.
With 5 minutes to go and play effectively bogged down between the two 10 yard lines Clontarf conceded a crucial penalty which Marys played into the 22. To their credit they showed great patience to control the ball through a mass of phases and create the space for a simple canter in from out half Brophy which was converted with the last kick of the match for a home win.
This was a classic rugby match played with huge commitment and impact from both sides. The return game in Castle Avenue next spring will be worth seeing.